Barely one month removed from the horrific tragedy that left 20 children dead within the walls of their Sandy Hook Elementary School, on Tuesday evening "Piers Morgan Tonight" invites a studio audience, and a collection of insightful and opinionated guests, to share their feelings on the firearm debate, and offer reactions to a potential nationwide ban on assault weapons.

In addition to Biden, Morgan will also welcome Ben Shapiro back to the program, for an encore to an initial visit that was equal parts compelling and contentious.

Toting a tiny version of the U.S. Constitution for Morgan to read, the man who is celebrating his 29th birthday on Tuesday accused the host of "dancing on the graves" of the children who perished in Newtown, and suggested that civilians need access to assault weapons "for the prospective possibility of resistance to tyranny."

Joining Biden, and Shapiro, "Piers Morgan Tonight" will also welcome Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter, as well as school shootings and mass shooters expert Dr. James Fox.

soundoff(337 Responses)

PJ

When it comes to Piers Morgan, its not a discussion, just another attempt by an ultra liberal to push a left wing agenda. The fact is that there are more murders committed by knives than assault rifles. In fact there are more murders committed by hammers than assault rifles. These stupid knee jerk reactions are the result of the echo chamber of liberal media personalities exploiting tragedies and yes standing on the grave of those poor children that died at the hands of a deranged idiot. Shame on you Piers.

First of all I am actually suportive of an assault weapons ban,,, however Mr. Morgan is either a liar or stupid. The last few days he has used the comment that FT. Hood is one of the most heavily armed bases is the country and a mass shooting still took place. Actually, military instilations have a NO FIREARM policy. No one besides MP's carry any type of firearms. Fort Hood and other military instilations are GUN FREE ZONES. All military arms are kept behind lock and key and only on controlled ranges during training,,,, many many miles from the main post. No one except Military Police are allowed to carry any firearm. Military instilations are the most gun free zones in this country. I dont know why Mr. Morgan does not know this. I know the bad guys do. My point is that Mr. Morgan needs to get his crap together and stop lying on his show. Its his show and to purposley mislead his viewers is BS. It negates all his good points that need to be made

I think what most people that do not own guns and feel no need to own guns do not understand is why on earth do Americans feel they need guns? Is American society so fractured that the only answer they have to every question is GUN!!! It is frightening and very sad that an entire large, vocal part of American society feels the answer to gun violance is more guns. I watched Morgan's town hall last night and my heart broke for the victims of Newtown as they sat quietly and listened to people raving about why their children and family members had to die because of the second amendment and everyone's right to bear arms. Their pain should have provided perspective, but the argument just raged on. It's not about rights, it is about people dying. And people keep dying. It is about a culture of violence that perpetuates itself by keeping the armed fearful and the unarmed ashamed and sad that it has come to this. PJ – this may come as a surprise to you – but many, many people live in relatively gun free societies by choice. I for one have never seen a "gun free" zone. Come to think of it – I've never seen a "gun zone" either. What does that even mean? It seems just another bit of standard rhetoric spouted by pro NRAs. If these standard responses are coming from legitimate gun owners, and America is now divided into Gun and Gun free zones and you can't see how scary that is there is no point in this discussion.

@Eric Melchor
You simply don't understand the Second Amendment, do ya? Can you absolutely assure us that people like Hitler or Tojo won’t ever arise in our country, even after the common people are completely disarmed? never, ever?? even several hundred years from now?

Hey PJ, Please show us here where and when a knife or a hammer has taken down 20 kids and 6 adults in a minute and a half! Your comment, These stupid knee jerk reactions are the result of the echo chamber of liberal media personalities exploiting tragedies and yes standing on the grave of those poor children that died at the hands of a deranged idiot, is pathetic! You tell the parents of these kids that their feelings to the killing of their kids is a stupid knee jerk reaction! I dare you to face just one of those parents and explain to them why their reactions are stupid. But you won't cause you are a coward likethe rest of them! The only ones standing on the graves of those kids is the parents, who every day for the rest of their lives have to face the death of their kids by a deranged and evil monster whose mother was allowed to have weapons meant to kill many people in a short period of time. PJ, your second amendment right does NOT and should NOT supersede the lives of others, but it did with these 20 kids! Pathetic!

First of all the deranged idiot that committed that horrible crime was not exercising the 2nd amendment, he was committing a crime. As far as the rest of your idiotic statement blah blah blah. If you want to live in a world where only the criminals have access to guns then do away with the 2nd amendment. I hope you find that world someday and go live in it.

Per the FBI's CRU data during 2011 there were 403 children murdered between the ages of 0 and 8. 89 with firearms, 71 with knives, cutting tools or blunt objects, and 243 with hands, feet, etc. So called assault weapons account for about 8% of gun related violence (see Feinstein website). In the absence of any better number, apply 8% to 89 and you get an estimated 7 deaths last year by an "assault weapon". So what are we doing about the other 396 murdered children? 403 kids are killed and nobody says a thing! 20 are murdered at once and all of a sudden people are demanding sweeping changes. The hypocrisy is unbelievable!

If you take a fair look at the social landscape, it is BY FAR the liberals and progressives that are conditioned to knee-jerk in reactions to pre-set stimuli. It's disturbing how much like lemmings all in a row lefties act.

For reasons that you should be able to figure out from your post, a psychopath with a knife and killed 23 people. So if you want to step outside your little liberal media box you'd realize that firearms save infinitely more lives than they take.

Police response time was 20 minutes. He could have killed that many with a single shot shotgun in that time frame. It isn't the gun, it is the man. Even if you are a hoplophobe you should still be insulted at the lack of legislation thatvwill actually do something.

Everyone talks about our right to bear arms? What about our right to have our children come home from school alive? Years ago our children began bringing cell phones to school after the shootings and the 9/11 tragedy,what's next-kids bringing guns to school to feel safe? If we start having teachers bring guns to school,where does it end? And what's to say that a teacher carrying a gun may not someday "loose their temper" and turn a gun on a coworker or a child? More guns???? It cannot happen. That is not the answer. I am 57, never had a gun, never will. We simply have got to stop the madness. Perhaps the NRA should have been brought to the horrific scene to see the condition of these poor children, pictures that we will never see-thank goodness, but if the people who love their guns were to see the devastation, maybe-just maybe they would change their way of thinking. There will always be guns but why make it so easy for people to obtain them? We lock our doors and have home & car alarms as to not make it easy to be intruded upon but it still happens at times, but we make it harder for theives and intruders. The same must be applied to these digusting weapons-not easy-not at all-we just can't have it-enough is enough. This is not the wild west, we are going backwards in so many ways. People need to look into the mirror and to the lord and ask what is the right thing..... for our children, for our society, for our freedom to live in as afe a world as possible.

I think the 2nd amendment is great. I also think that since the gun advocates believe schools should not be gun free zones, why should Congress enjoy the gun free zone of the Capitol building. Citizens should be allowed to carry guns whenever and wherever and that should include in the chambers of our legislature. Would not that be great to have a gallery of armed citizens. You talk about protection from government...now there is protection! According to our friends in Arizona,"an armed society is a polite society. I am certain the gallery would be full of "polite" citizens.

Glenn if we permitted guns up on Capitol Hill, it would be a dictatorship instead. The first gun owner to disagree with a politican would use his gun to get his point across, either by threatning or shooting said politician.

If you want to carry a gun, you should be required to "qualify" for that privilege ... just like every law enforcement officer in this country is required to do on a REGULAR basis the entire length of their career. Prove your proficiency and have that "proficiency" be regulated just like the men and women who are tasked with trying to protect us. All we get from the NRA these days is a lot of nonsensical lip service. You're tested regularly to drive your car! Let's let some common sense dictate the response and action to this out-of-control situation.

I an still unsure as to whether this was a bit of satire or a stated belief. The fact that you seemed to distance yourself by saying "the gun advocates" would imply the former. So polite society indeed. Fearful, but polite. Those that so rabidly defend their second amendment rights strike me as fearful people. They insist anyone that does not agree with them are far left and they are right. It isn't a matter of politics. It is a world community looking deep into the psyche of a society that feels the only answer to the violence is more violence. The only solution to too many guns is more guns. They don't seem to understand or won't acknowledge that it is just not working. The status quo is killing people, killing children! Non-gun owners do not understand why that concept is so difficult to grasp. We also don't understand why anyone would need a semi-automatic for any reason. Unless your home is overrun by hoardes of Mongul warriors, one gun should suffice. If you can shoot, that is. And why would you need a semi-automatic to hunt? Perhaps teaching people how to shoot would be an answer; if you need 300 bullets to cut an enemy (or a deer) down, you need some practice!

Joe Biden, give me a break..is this the best we can do, who's next Bill Clinton... both of these clowns are a disgrace to American values. Chicago gun control laws really seem to be having an impact...record homcide rate...these people are clueless

The difference is of course that hammers and knives have other uses than to kill human beings as opposed to assault weapons who's soul purpose is mass murder. You obviously can't remove from people's possession every single item which can ALSO be used to assassinate someone but there is no rational reason not to remove something which has no other use or purpose than to kill.

Really? Literally tens of millions of them get used every day and don't kill anyone. Also, don't forget that the VA tech shooter(a known psychopath) used two pistols and fired over 170 rounds in 11 minutes. Columbine was committed with guns with 10 round magazines or less under the last ban and no military style rifle. If your magazine isn't big enough, you carry more magazines, simple as that. But I guessthe sensible thing for them to do is pass feel good aws tat didn't lower crime efore andwon't again. Still no mental health reform though.

Piers Morgan's irrational rants on gun control is converting CNN to a FoxNews-type network. He is degrading the quality of CNN's tradition and should be transferred to Murdoch's enterprise where he can continue "tabloid news". Talking over those who disagree with his extreme opinions is not a reputable function of a talk show host or moderator.

I hope you continue to bring gun control to the forefront, due to so many senseless tragedies, something must be done. People like Alex jones should be required to have mental evolutions, I'm using my first amendment right in saying his name :). Also, there needs to be more controls social medial..

First of all, it's not up to the government to regulate social media. So you do not believe in the 1st amendment. Also, look up the facts. These shootings are made public more than any other form of killing, such as stabbings. Look up states that have regulated gun laws and they have a higher crime rate than states that do not use gun control laws. If I were a burglar, whose house do I break into? The guy with a gun, or the guy without a gun?

Piers,
Why do people need sports cars that go 200 mph when the speed limit is 65 in most states? Oh...and yes cars kill as well as the people who drive them. So why do we need guns like an AR15? I guess the same reason people want cars that can go triple the speed limit.
Just a thought

And why do we *need* alcohol? It has no real POSITIVE purpose (don't quote me about red wine and cardiovascular health... there's other ways to get the same effect). When used irresponsibly, it kills both by way of health issues and DUIs.

WHY WHY WHY isn't there talk about how to take the "ultra" dangerous weapons off the streets. I'm not talking about the legally owned semi-auto owned by a responsible American who will NEVER walk into a mall, a church, a mosque, a school etc and start shooting. I am talking about the tens of thousands (if not more) three round burst (still semi-auto) or fully automatic assault rifles, machine pistols and full auto handguns (like the G18) that are in every city in the hands of criminals that don't mind shooting into a crowd to find their target. I have not heard one official talk about reducing the risk that is out there with the criminals.

Has anyone even looked to the root of the problem of these shootings? Look at the types of medications all these kids were on that went into these schools! Kids in America (especially) are placed on all these so called "ADHD" medications. It's the medications to blame, not the guns! Watch this video for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26e5PqrCePk

So are you saying that because I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, I should be barred from owning a firearm as an adult? I'm 38 now, successful, happily married, and I still have some inattentiveness from ADHD...

I agree – Morgan talks over guests who disagree with him, and truncates their appearance when they disagree with Morgan.
Piers Morgan is a huge pain – surely CNN can do better. Larry King was great – he'd draw the interviewee out and King wouldn't impose – Morgan uses this CNN as a soapbox, so I don't watch him any longer.

Seems pretty well balanced. The two on the right are pro gun
The blonde is paranoid, wants to defend herself with an AK 15 – can only imagine how much damage she would do if a mouse knocks something down from the cupboard. Her personality should be a contraindication to gun possession. The lawyer next to her is simply a theoretician with no relation to reality.
Surprised that no one on the panel recognizes her paranoia and says she is disqualified

In response to your comment; "The lawyer next to the blonde girl is just a theologian and does not live in reality", is not only unfair an assuming but a flat out lie. This "laywer, I've known since 3rd grade as a good friend, played excellent sports, and is one of the nicest, funniest, smartest & and yes now an expert on the 2nd Amendment. We went to WVU which trust me, is reality at it's best. He went on to Harvard law & now is a professor of law in NYC. He just finished righting a textbook for the school dealing with this Amendment and has published sereveral articles as well. While you may not have been listening closely to him, his words were factual, not theory and trust me he does live among us. Well, among us who know him and could not be prouder of his excellence. That was shown tonight when Piers interrupted Nicky more than the others. Piers knew this man had his facts in hands!

Posse Comitatus Act is a law that prevents the government from using the military agianst the citizens of the U.S. I am a veteran of the U.S. Army, and I knew know one in the army who was willing to fire on citizens, (much like Poland in the 80's) As for the need for high capacity magazines, I accept my training of one shot, one kill, so i do not neeed a weapon that will fire 60 rounds in a mater of seconds. A hand gun with six to nine rounds is enough to protect me. If I cannot protect myself with that I am in trouble, and had better sharpen my marksmenship. I am able of reloading my weapon if needed for more tagerts. Weapons in the hands of people like Alex Jones scares the hell out of me. To keep doing what we have been doing (nothing) and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity, and sadly there are people out there that think that is the better option.

At the time our founding fathers gave us the right to bear arms they didn't have or never realized the type of weapons we currently have. Remember during their time they had muskets, swords, and bow & arrows......Not machine guns or assault weapons! If they were alive today, and knew what is happening today, they would not have established the 2nd ammedment without conditions.............

In the 23rd century when we may have lazer weapons that can wipe out a whole building in one shot would you expect to also have the right to own one of those for your own protection? God I hope not!

Morgan doesn’t even make the efforts to get the facts straight, so he gives us the misleadingly incomplete data about the violent crime rate in his home country. I am utterly puzzled by CNN’s decision of placing someone like Morgan after legendary Larry King. I’d much rather want another hour of Anderson Cooper 360 (in my opinion, he is a fine journalist with a true journalistic mind), I’d even watch a whole extra hour of Cooper’s RidicuList instead of Morgan’s show.

So, my conclusion is, I should simply change the channel and watch something else that’s worthwhile. I shouldn’t be contributing to Morgan’s show’s ratings anymore. If we stop watching it, it’ll eventually be canceled.

I have some advice for Piers Morgan; go home get your passport and pack your bags and leave America. This guy has the most anti gun anti American agenda I have ever seen, tonights show was a perfect example of this.

How many people can be assaulted with a knife or hammer and survive vs shot with a assault weapon? In a matter of seconds a crazy person can murder 50 people with an assault weapon. Why in the world would a peace loving person need to own an assault weapon? No one is trying to take away any ones right to own gun. The NRA is trying flex their muscles by trying to convince the public that their rights are being threatened. Thank Goodness Piers Morgan has had the nerve to say what others have not. Bravo!

According to the FBI Unified Crime Report for 2011; 1,694 were killed with Knives or Cutting Instruments; 1,659 were killed with Other Weapons (hammers, baseball bats, cars, etc,); and 728 were killed with Personal Weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc,) for a total of 4,081 homicides. During the same period 323 people were killed with rifles. So called assault rifles like the AR-15 Morgan keeps harping on, are a subset of the Rifle category. Unfortunately the FBI does not distinguish between rifle types. Nevertheless, those rifles that people incorrectly refer to as assault weapons are far less dangerous to society than many would have you believe. Also note that 323 is not a fluke. At least as far back as 2000 when the number was 411 the ratio of rifles to handguns used to commit crime has been pretty consistent.

Cheers to Piers for allowing equal time to intelligent opposition to his position. Most opinionated interviewers do not allow a balanced discussion. Jeers for resorting to an attempt to manipilate opinion through emotion by trying to pit the families of victims against the opposition veiwpoint, when he had no real answer to those opposition opinions. Also Jeers for poor knowledge of the facts, or pretense thereof (using the term "machine gun" for rhetorical defintion) I am sure Piers truly knows the difference between a mahcine gun and a semi-automatic weapon, he was just using this term to incilte emotional appeal rather than debate the facts. This is the type of misinformation that really fuels the anti-gun belief that the media is conspirting against them. Cheers for the visual between commercial breaks that cleared this difference up.

I hear lots of "lets have a discussion" from those in favor of gun control, however they seemto be the quickest to jump to emotional appeal or attacks rather than engaging in a true open-minded discussion. The country is fairly evenly divided on this issue. The only was we are going to find any solution is if we can all truly try to see the other sides point of view and engage in a true fact finding mission, instead of just a pretense.

You must not have been watching the show last night. Several of PMs experts clearly stated an AW ban is no going to prevent another mass murder. You must have also missed the comments noting that so called assault weapons account for only a small fraction of gun related violence (though not stated "assault rifles" account for about 2% of gun related crime). As for knives, last year the FBI reported that in 2011 1,694 were murdered with knives or cutting instruments. During the same time 323 (2.5% of all murders) people were murdered with rifles. So called assault rifles represent a subset of total rifles. Where do you think the problem lies?

Thank you for exposing these extremist bullies who rely on an ignorant audience maintained in their unchallenged bubble realty. And in typical bully fashion, as soon as they feel vulnerable they lash out and double down with absurd counter-accusations. Please don't let these fools intimidate you and your network. Stay safe, you are doing very important work that will affect generations of Americans. Like a true patriot.

I don't mind a debate or a real heated conversation about such an important issue in our Country. However, I think Mr Obama is wrong to try to go executive without remotely trying to work with the Congress. I think his legacy will be the one of bully and my way or the highway. I would find Mr.Morgans show more informative if he were ONLY allowed to interview people he agrees with. He is sickning sweet as long as you both agree. But becomes very over bearing, rude, condescending and speaks over his guest. Perhaps if the President were worried about PROTECTING our embassy in Libya we would not have 4 dead americans. Obviously his ban went as far away as them...

All he did was get spokespeople for the gun manufacturers together with family members of murder victims and make them look each other in the eye – and it was painful to watch. What's wrong with facing people who are living with the results of your actions? If you are going to oppose gun control, you ought to have enough courage to look one of these hurting people in the eye.

While I feel bad for what the families of the victims are going through, my level of caring stops when my own ability to protect MY loved ones is taken away from me in order to satisfy the sensibilities of others.

yes Frank, one shot one kill. Yet you would not enter a fire armed with a squirt gun any more than you would be part of a raid in Kabul with a pea shooter alone. Matching the firing ability of your opponent has always been paramount in any military action, why can't I do that as a mother? Am I to perform Byzantine chant while I reload my 6 shooter? and all the while the intruder in my home still has me outgunned but is patiently waiting for said reload? In what sane world does this scenario play out?

Why is it that because someone else's loved one died, I absolutely must be prevented from protecting my loved ones? Until you can unequivocably guarantee my rapist or home burglar will only have a revolver too, you are the culprit behind the real war on women. Simply because your new laws only prevent them from matching their attacker's force. Brilliant.

PJ – Fortunately for us, you are a minority. Liberalism has nothing to do with anything, and your labeling it so is just one good reason for taking guns out of the hands of everyone. This country is far too immature to handle it's carnage, but they soon will have to.. There exists so much technology out there to protect us, guns are primative and unless everyone has one and can use it at all times, they don't work. Time to grow up and move onto better ways of security..

I would ask Mr. Morgan if the Irish thought that the concept of British "tyranny" was absurd in the 19th, 20th, and 21st century (northern Ireland). Why did the British government not free the Irish from their oppressive military armed presence like they did the Americans in 1789? Could it be that the Americans were armed with military weapons current for the time and that the Irish people were denied the ability to possess military weapons? Totalitarian dictatorships thrive when only the police and military are armed and controlled by those seeking to exercise power. History does and will repeat itself, if portions of the population are given complete control over the means of defense and also cohersion. The Irish, Germans, Hungarians, Poles, Czechs, and Russians have all suffered under oppressive political, police, and military regimes in the 20th century. Regimes which existed in countries that contained educated and rational populations.

I don't understand why have guest.... You were rude, condesending and totally unprofessional when coming to speak with your guest. In America unless you want to go to the Jerry Springer type audience you need to refrain from being so ill willed toward your guest. I suggest CNN just allow you to interview guest who believe in your opinion and side with the government. Perhaps Oprah may have a show for you on her network.

I'm curious as to why CNN cut the Ben Shapiro segment down to just over 3 minutes on its website? I can't find the whole interview anywhere on this site or any other CNN page? Anyone know where I can watch the Ben Shapiro interview, unedited, so that I can get an idea of what went on last time and what to expect tonight?

Secondarily, why doesn't Piers ever bring up the rural America perspective, because it's entirely different than urban when it comes to guns.

If trained properly, 6 bullets should do. But, you would never see 5 or 6. it's normally 1 and sometimes 2 – Again, 6 bullets are enough. More than that and you'll most likely end up killing your wife and kids.

A one-stop-shot is exceedingly rare in a defensive situation, and you propose to do it 6 times? You're a heck of a marksman, if a bit delusional. I hope you don't have any rounds that fail to fire or that 6th guy's gonna beat you to death with your empty gun.

Thanks Tony. I actually feel much better knowing that no more than 2 criminals will invade my home. But I heard that that woman in Georgia needed 5 bullets to deter one assailant. Would you please let me have 10 bullets in my gun to deter those no more than two home invaders? By the way, do you limit the number of abortions a woman may have in a lifetime? Just curious. Thanks again.

I assume you we're attacked by 6 individuals already and had to use your machine gun? I guest you lived eh and they are dead... How about you show your kid how to use your guns? Teach them how to kill...

Thanks Batman. Actually, I don't own a gun and don't feel I need one. But for those who want to protect their families, do you allow them to own a gun and how many bullets will you let their guns hold? As an aside, do you allow interracial marriage?

So what is "your" reaction to the 45 deaths caused in mass shootings by deranged idiots, using military like semi automatic weapons with magazines or clips that hold more then 5 rounds of ammunition? Collateral damage? Acceptable losses? The price of freedom?... Knives? Hammers? Who is being the deranged idiot now?

Unfortunately the tens of thousands that are killed by other means from those idiots are not brought to the discussion table only the murders that fit an agenda are. Those lives are just a sacred. What is also not brought to the table are the stats on how many lives are saved by gun owner from those deranged idiots. Those stats also don't fit the bill. Quit trying to sound like you know something when you obviously don't.

I am astounded at some of the distorted thinking I see here. Piers Morgan is absolutely right, and this has nothing to do with being a liberal or not, as he notes. America is the odd man out here, with statistics alone making death by a gun more likely in this country than in ANY OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED nation! A health report stating the poor state of our health as compared with OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS put us at a low point, and some of that is about life span....life span shortened by poor medical care and early deaths, to which DEATH by a GUN is more likely to end an American's life than in ANY OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED NATION!! We should not even have to have this discussion! Let us compare with food–there is only one thing that makes people overweight: eating too much! If the food is not avaiilable, then it is diffiuclt to gain weight. Period. Simple. So given the violent streak in our culture, ALL the MORE REASON to keep out of circulation as many guns of ALL types as possible!

The BAND AID answer of more armed guards is truly sickening and will lead to a police state, as well as more violence. If someone is a pyromaniac, do you give him more matches? Fire with fire? How we got so confused over basic intelligence and so far from the mainstream is truly the work of monied propagandists, who should be ashamed of themselves! Bravo to Piers, Bravo to those trying to be sensible and down with the likes of Alex Jones, Representative Stockman, the NRA and all the others! A real discussion about what violence and guns mean should be started, from a young age....Holding a gun is NOT a gesture to be proud of!! Life is NOT a Thelma and Louise road movie, with handguns in ladies' pocketbooks making them more noble or intelligent, or making life a better place!! GET REAL and get with it!!

How can you agree with Piers? Do yo realized that his banter about how England's gun ban worked is all lies? Read this article for the truth. http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/01/im_british_and_piers_morgan_is_damn_wrong.html

Well said, Carol, I think President Obama is going to address things tomorrow...that will be to all normal people a sensible move. The Pro Gunners & Conspiracy Theorists won't be best pleased...but they never are. Are they?

I care and feel badly for the families of the victims... However, my level of 'care' tapers off rather sharply when I am confronted with a removal of my rights and ability to defend myself against the same level of crime solely to placate the sensibilities of the families of the victims.

Matter of factly, the entire debate is causing me to BLAME the families victims for the removal of my rights... and to have an underlying animosity for the families of the victims.

Really Nick, Apparently you missed the interview with the deranged idiot Alex Jones. He went on and on and on and hardly let Piers have a word in edgewise. IMO Alex Jones hung himself and showed the rest of us here that he is indeed insane and deranged. He would be the last person I would want to be in a room with. He is not only scary, but comes across as very evil. I would hate to face that man cause if I disagreed with him I would wind up with a gun in my face. Alex Jones should never be allowed to own or have a weapon!

As we mandate and control cough medicine, alcohol and cigarettes, why not control sales of ammunition, no internet sales and possibly the engraving of purchasers initials on bullets. It seems extreme, but this is an extreme situation. There may be 300 million guns in circulation, but with no ammunition, how could people be harmed. THINK ABOUT IT. IIT WAS MY HUSBAND'S IDEA, BUT I THINK A GREAT ONE!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

There are a large number of people who load their own rounds... let me know how that 'controlling the ammunition' thing works out for you... It would just drive more people to do their own loads which actually would be less safe since it's easy to accidentally make a load that is 'too hot' and could cause the gun to malfunction in a critical way.

Hi, I just wrote something,but it seems to have disappeared. Hey Eric, those stats are amazing! They have been saying 11,000 died last year from guns, but clearly it is more like the 31,347 in 2009! If anyone is from NYC, he or she can remember that sign in Times Square a few years ago, posting the number of deaths by guns PER MONTH in America. The Europeans were mesmerized, as there are more deaths per month in our country, than in the then European Union of 350 Million people living on land the size of the Northeast...!! A mind is a terrible thing to waste...A gun is a terrible thing to use, should be the campaign! Refrain from use,a nd register or melt in your arms for rewards.....we should have melt downs, like in Australia. We already have too many guns in circulation....

According to Wikipedia, Just over half of all gun-related deaths in the United States are suicides, with 17,352 (55.6%) of the total 31,224 firearm-related deaths in 2007 suicide deaths, and 12,632 (40.5%) homicide deaths.

Okay, a suicide is still a horrible event (and it’s a whole different issue we should address) but at least it’s not taking other people’s lives. So, if you deduct suicide deaths, the number of gun victims is about 1/3 of that of car accidents. However, we are not outraged by it, not nearly as much as about guns. Where is the outcry for stricter traffic laws, and shows after shows after shows talking about it?? Over 30,000 people die in automobile accidents every year...

If you are a gun owner you should be responsible for your weapons, 24/7. Even if you have a gun safe, they are never secure as long as anyone else can access them.Possibly another way to contol the damage done to innocent people by these weapons is to hold the owners totally responsible. If your wepons is used in a felony you are as resposible as the person who is wielding it. You get the same penalty, life in prison, death row or what ever. Maybe then people might let the guns go willingly.

Lyn, This is the problem, they don't want to be held accountable. They want and and give support to criminals to have the guns because it gives them the excuse to have their weapons. They don't care about these 20 kids who died in Conn. In all the blogs I have been on NOT ONE of these gun advocates have expressed their sorrow over their deaths. They only try to justify why they and criminals should be allowed to have weapons. I bet they would never stand in front of the parents and tell them their 2nd Amendment rights are more important than the lives of their kids. But what else can we expect of cowards!

I hope it is mentioned in the "debate" that the US homicide rate is lowest it has been since 1964. In fact, the US homicide rate is now half that of 20 years ago (1991). This is in an environment of increased gun ownership as well as increased violent movie and game viewership, so there appears to be no correlation between the two and no acknowledgment of the major progress made. Where homicide rates are still horribly high are pockets of some of our major cities where any new law will be followed the same way current laws are followed. What seems to have worked more than anything else?...those cities enacting "community policing" like NYC have seen extremely large declines in homicides and our energy should be funneled toward this end in cities like Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago to save the people there that sadly live in war zones.

And how many of those gun crimes are committed by already-been-convicted felons? It's heinous the way the liberals and progressives equate the 99.99999999999% of honest and decent Gun Owners as extremely bad people. It's disturbing.

In which society would you prefer to raise a family – one with 11,000 gun murders a year (300 million pop), or 35 per year (57 million pop). Both watch video games; have people with mental health problems; even a criminal element. The difference is GUNS!!! Get over it America and de-arm. Over 10 years there will be over 110, 000 gun deaths unless things change. That, is a crisis.

@fras6 excellent infograph. It points out that unfortunately, even those who grow up learning about gun safety accidentally shoot and kill themselves every day. And most recently, another school shooting happened today – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/st-louis-business-school-shooting_n_2481733.html

I pray there are more people with common sense in American than gun-loving enthusiast who fail to see that this was a law that was good back in the 1800 and 1900s, but now needs to be removed.

If noone has guns, you can defend your wife with your bare hands............

You live your life in fear because there are so many guns. If there are no guns, you dont need them to protect your wife, you calll the police and they will protect you with their guns. What you have created is a fearfull world.

Hi, my name is Matt Glickstein, and Iʻm a songwriter/composer from Hawaii. I recently composed a song called, "For Mommy and Daddy," a music video tribute to the victims and families of the Sandy Hook shooting, performed by my 5th grade students, Nyssa Barfield and Asheya Pagay (see video attached). My hope with this song is to be able move people to help support and raise funds for all affected by this tragedy. Please let me know who else I could send this to in order to reach and help as many people as possible. Thank you for your time. http://youtu.be/Lnr3Nb0uyfs (link to video)

Matt...that is a beautiful song...& so well performed...it's message is very strong. I dabble in songwriting & Jingles myself in Ireland & can usually pick out a good crafted song, when I hear one. The beautiful message in the words really sing, & maybe Piers ought to give it a play or two so as to remember the young victims. Did you send it to anyone connected with the Sandy Hook Tragedy, like religious, teachers, etc? And what about sending copies to Connecticut radio stations to air locally... & then what about sending a copy to President or Michelle Obama? It would be great song for them to feature on their "White House Website". "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is the auld saying.

PS. My wish is that you never have to write a song like this again...but that...what you do write is successful. Tell the singers of song; I give them "Ten, out of Ten"!

I would like to ask a question for your show tonight. New York has gun control laws, so if gun control will not work, then why was the murder rate in New York down 44% this last year? To me that means that there gun control laws are working!

I know anti-gun people don’t like my saying this, but fixating only on guns is not doing much service to our society, in my humble opinion. Naturally, people, including myself, are emotionally stirred and distraught by the horrific image of massacre. It’s an honest human reaction. But let us all calm down and rationally examine what would work better, more efficiently, for the public safety as a whole, before we vilify gun owners .

For example, car accidents kill over 30,000 people every year and many of the victims are children too. I don’t understand why we are not having vigorous national discussions over road safety. For non-gun-owners, myself included, it is so easy to point our fingers at gun issues and demand stricter gun laws, because it won’t impact us. And yet we are unwilling to look at the fact of the frequency of car accidents and recognize that stricter traffic laws are imperative. Isn’t it because it directly impacts us and we don’t want lower speed limits and higher fines imposed on us? How about punishing speeders, tailgaters and phone users just as harsh as DUI drivers, making all of them subject to instant license suspension or $1000 per ticket? Understanding anti-gun people’s goal is “a safer society”, just as mine, I’d expect that you’d welcome my suggestion.

If anti-gun people were equally vehemently pushing stricter traffic laws, then I won’t have a problem. I just don’t think it’s fair to demand law-abiding responsible gun owners to compromise their way of life, IF we are reluctant to be saddled with stricter traffic laws when we know that could save thousands of lives. Do you know how hypocritical that is? Cars victimize three times as many as guns do, you know.

I’m not a gun enthusiast. On the contrary, I’ve never fired a gun in my entire life. But I have a tremendous respect for the Second Amendment. I’ve never owned a gun because I haven’t felt the need. But if I ever sense a threat, to my family or to myself, I will get one, train myself to be able to use it well, and protect ourselves.

@Irene Enjoy reading your comment. The thing about car accidents is simply – cars are meant to transport people from one place to another. A gun, 200 years ago, was used for survival purposes (to hunt food and protect yourself from Indians). Flash forward to today, there is no place for it. Whether we like it or not, the 2nd Amendment has simply escalated into a self-inflicted disaster of incredible proportions. In fact, in just 31 days since Newtown, 919 people have been killed by firearms. See infograph at http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/15/graphic-31-days-later-u-s-gun-deaths-since-newtown/

Eric, Thank you for reading my lengthy post.
“cars are meant to transport people”... so that’s your whole justification of why we can tolerate 30,000 deaths every year and we don’t have to do anything about it when there are plenty of things we can try???

Eric, I thought the topic was “making our society safer”. Give me one good reason, why we must only stick to gun issues. Are you really interested in “saving people’s lives” as many as we can? Or are you only interested in “getting rid of guns” just because you don’t like them. You don’t like to talk about car issues because you don’t want to change how you drive, even to “save lives”. That’s why I say “hypocritical”.

@Irene Hello. I am not sure what planet you live on, but a few weeks ago 20+ children were massacred at a school. In fact, 3x last year, there were mass killings – innocent people shot down by assault weapons. The issue is not 'making society safer'. The issue is – do we need to address and update gun regulations in this country? And anyone with common sense would say 'yes'.

Yes, Eric, just as anyone with common sense who thinks 30,000 deaths are horrible would say 'yes' to updating our traffic regulations. I am not saying we don’t need to address the gun issue, I’m only pointing out the hysteria over gun incidents and the reluctance of people acknowledging that cars are even more dangerous. The fact is, when a smaller number of people are killed here and there sporadically, and when those incidents don’t come with horrific imagery, somehow we don’t care that much.

Also, there are data and stats which show that "guns protect". Please do some research on "Defensive Gun Uses (DGUs)". There have been about 13 non-NRA studies, on DGUs that estimate, at minimum, 800,000 instances occur each year where someone has stopped a criminal act, either from commencing or completing, with the threat of or actual use of a gun.

Please, I love you all dearly and support your efforts, but I signed on today and received over 99 mails!! Take me off the list! I will tweet and see what that gives me....Thank you and please confirm....Carole Seidelman 1 212 582 2139

@Irene the topics is guns. Not car accidents, not abortions, not hammers, it is guns. Try to stick to the topic. As for tyranny, I can understand people in Venezuela and Eastern Europe being afraid of this since it happened to them, but to use that as your excuse is simply to admit that you live in fear of something that has nor ever will exist in America.

Irene, you provide the most cogent and articulate plea for a meaningful discussion on reducing gun violence that I have come across. You articulately remind us all that, though we may disagree, we nevertheless must respect on another's positions. As a gun owner, you remind me that for non-owners there is an understandably emotional side of the discussion, an unfamiliarity with guns, that must not be ignored by owners and accept it will not be assuaged with just facts and data. We all have the right to feel safe in our society just as we all share in the responsibility to make it so. Well done Irene.

Perhaps with some of the emotions and utter disgust with numerous Govt. related issues and decision making as of late, folks are just plain leary of what they can really expect/trust from any forthcoming legislative/executive directions that are related to gun control, much less the economy or other major issues that are presently at hand. I have many friends and a son that would strongly discourage me openly expressing my concerns about AR type weapons being available in the manner they are today. On the other hand, with passion on this issue riding so high and no guarantees as to what one can begin to expect with our govt. decision making any more, it's not hard to understand the distrust and defensive demeanor that legitimate and responsible gun owners are feeling. Perhaps on all fronts, trying to predicate listening, comments and conviction on what will ultimately serve in the best interest for everyone and esp. for our children, the right decisions will be made. Calling each other liars and demaning the opinion of others when in a somewhat command and control position certainly doesn't help this issue come to a rightful conclusion ... Mr. Morgan.

I'm a former fan of Piers, now I can't stand to look at him much less listen to him... so I won't. I will say this, all though I don't believe in a ban, I would support training requirements for gun owners.

I am the typical "face in the crowd" kind of man. No need to be anything special other than being happy with my wife, kids and friends. I thought that the Democrats would never really embrace the foaming at the mouth Liberal-Progressive Left. But how wrong I am. http://www.gunownerinfo.com The side that screams for "tolerance and diversity" only wants one kind of world and worldview. Piers is truly disturbing. He seriously judges extremely good people as being horrible for no other reason then they will not kow tow to his belief system.

"Europe is a Super Power, Pierse, and even you will wake up one day!!! The USA is finished! It Died, the Moment the Idiot Obama Lied. And you were all taken in! But I won't bend for this Idiot, not the (so called) Queen of England. I intent to take Britain into Europe, and there is nothing you or your Idiot Obama can do. I have one hell of a lot of relatives and I intend to use them!!"

It saddens me to no end that my son serving in the U.S. military in the Middle East could die protecting someone as misguided as you. He is serving along with his fellow Americans who just so happen to be Muslims, Jews, Christians, Mormons, atheists, wickens, etc. Perhaps you should run for president–you seem to know what's best for America.

At first, I thought that we'd found a shorter way to spell "idiot", with Griff. Unfortunately, you are just as much work, and twice as stupid. Did you learn that little tune together with "Row, row, row your boat"? You are a fool, Griff. Obviously, taken in with a little too much television, Fox News, and the screaming, overly made-up women from that show who show up at your favorite All-you-can-eat Chiness buffet, post service. Maybe one day, YOU'LL get it.

The most amazingly glaring aspect of the typical Left-Wing (Progressives and Liberals) ideologue, is their complete lack of knowledge about guns of any type. These people seriously believe that any gun that shoots more than one bullet is an "assault gun." http://www.gunownerinfo.com

Shooting in Taber Alberta Canada. 1 week after Columbine. Student only got three shots off because when he had to reload a teacher was able to tackle him. This IS the difference between having an automatic weapons ban and not having one.

Dawn,
Are you advocating the ban of the so called assault weapons like the AR-15 Piers keeps mentioning or are you suggesting we ban all semi-automatic rifles? With regard to the shooting you mentioned, I don't know the particulars but it sounds like the teacher was pretty lucky as well as being incredibly brave. But you should remember that the Virginia Tech massacre was carried out using a .22 cal semi-automatic pistol and a 9MM semi-automatic pistol. Tragically 33 people were killed and 23 were wounded. Adam Lanza had 9MM and .40 cal pistols in addition to the AR-15 that he could have just as easily used to the same effect. Banning so called assault weapons will not prevent a determined assailant, they will only change his methodology which is why we need to focus on them

Just like Piers Morgan, you are not interested in a real discussion with stats and data to examine the reality. You just want to appeal to people’s emotional side and demonize guns while completely ignoring the fact that “cars kill” 3 times more, but you don’t care enough to do anything about it, because you don’t want to be inconvenienced. Typical hypocritical anti-gun people....

Irene,
One place to go is Sen. Feinstein's website at http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/assault-weapons . There she provides a link to: An Updated Assessment of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Impacts on Gun Markets and Gun Violence, 1994-2003 . The report states that about 8% of violent crime is related to assault weapons (AWs). Another study, and I'm trying to remember which one further divided AWs into assault pistols (AP) and assault rifles (AR) [BTW that's not what the "AR" in AR-15 stands for. That "AR" is Armalite Rifle] 6% for APs and 2% for ARs. If you look at just homicides, the FBI Uniform Crime Reports (they've got a really good website) show that in 2011 there were 323 murders committed with rifles, which would include the AR-15, in the U.S. The FBI doesn't distinguish so called assault weapons in its statistics but if you make a loose assumption that the 2% figure applies just homicides then there were approximately 7 murders committed in the US in 2011.
Something else to consider, and to my complete amazement overlooked by EVERYONE in the media, are Defensive Gun Uses (DGUs). There have been about 13 non-NRA studies, I believe, on DGUs that estimate between 800,000 and 2,500,000 – depending on what study you read – instances occur each year where someone has stopped a criminal act, either from commencing or completing, with the threat of or actual use of a gun. Personally, I had never even considered the notion of DGUs prior to the latest debate. I was honestly astounded! Google defensive gun uses and see what you get.

Alan, I tried to post much longer reply, but it’s not appearing on this site. I’m trying to see if a shorter one will go through. I just wanted to thank you for your insightful comments. The stats on DGUs are simply AMAZING!! I hope someone judicious like you will continue to talk sense and eventually people will see our point of view.

You forgot Chronic upper respiratory diseases (oh please) will people stop making excuses. Still death by guns should be right up there on top...because what you list are mostly self inflicted by...bad diet, lack of exercising, smoking, drinking, bad driving habits, carelessness on the road, viruses & bugs etc.

We have done that for a long time and with billions of dollars of donations and research.

The topic now is gun violence.
Among similar countries, ours is far more violent (6 times) and we have 22 times more firearms-related deaths than other similarly developed and wealthy countries. We have the violence rate of Mexico or Colombia to which we act so superior.
How do we address this problem?
Do we want to evolve or devolve?

Assault weapons are weapons of mass destruction. They are weapons of war, weapons of drug cartels. Have we devolved into such a selfish country that people want these weapons and other peoples' safety be damned? You can have any weapon but these killing machines. Yet, people are freaking out.

My father had guns, but he started collected them en masse, loading his own shells, etc., after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. That was in the 1960's. The treatment was female hormones, estrogen. He became impotent. He also became gun crazy. Not a coincidence.

Has not been a debate yet, in which Piers did'nt ask "what weapon was used". Runs through his list of high profile incedents, with his arrogant demeanor, and repeats the question louder until he gets what he wants. His opinion means nothing to me. When he is granted U.S. citizenship then I will value his opinion.

I'm sure there have been many insulting comments about why you, as a British citizen,are more vocifrous than most American commentators about gun control?. Thank you for pushing the issues and ignore the rude comments. However, why do you think you are more outspoken about gun conrol than most of your American counterparts?

Piers and the mayor and I take it Police Chief are three of the most ignorant people I know. Oh wait so is Biden's son. These are not military rifles, they are merely replicas that function like civilian authorized gun laws that are in place. Soft tones of you voice and thinking that ignorant people cannot be mayors or police chiefs is a good try at credibility. I also hope your expert that has all these numbers of how bad the US crime is compared, please tell me where are you getting your numbers? I am a Marine that served my country and I am familiar with this highly small caliber weapon and use it to hunt since the FDA likes to flood my meat with hormones and antibiotics. Only sensible comment was, if a person wants to commit mass murder then they will, OKC as an example.

Why is it that during the discussion of mental health issues regarding gun violence, that no one seems to address the fact that culturally, in America, for a couple of generations now, children have not been taught coping mechanisms? Whether in sports or dealing with bullies, these days all children must have their battles fought for them and they must all be 'winners'. They are not taught to take their lumps or cope with disappointment. Then they grow up and harbor outrageous animosity when they don't get their way and think they've been wronged by everyone. These are the mental cases that take it out in mass shootings. We can't just identify and adjudicate the mentally ill when it comes to background checks for purchasing weapons. We need to teach our children how to cope so they don't go off!

Piers, please be careful when speaking with your guests about gun control that you do not further stigmatize the mentally ill. Do not allow conversations that conflate mental illlness and particular mental conditions with potential for gun violence. That would be very unfair.

My step-daughter is in Sandy Hook Elementary School. She is in the picture of the children being led out of the school by authorities on December 14th. Her classroom was across the hall from the shootings. She heard the sounds coming through the walls and over the loudspeaker. When she was walked out of the school building that day, she had to walk by the bodies of her Principal and the school psychologist in order to get our of the school. She has talked about how she stepped on blood and glass to get out of the school. She has demonstrated how the bodies were laying on the floor and even where the blood was located on their bodies. She's only 7 years old and she's seen more than anyone should ever have to see in their lifetime. She now has nightmares from it all. We were told by friends that first responded to the scene that the children were unrecognizable except for what they were wearing that day. I don't want to have guns in schools with the teachers, that's not what teachers are there for. I don't feel safe with my child being in a place where now accidental shootings would take place. Kids and guns don't mix. I think that an actual police officer should be outside of schools, not just some random person that was "trained" to shoot a gun. It's all been so hard to deal with already, and yet random people harrass people of this community saying that day on December 14th never happened. It's incredibly hurtful. I can't believe people would say the nasty things that are being said. I can't believe that people would say it's a hoax or conspiracy because of being scared that they can't keep buying their guns,or because they didn't like the way the media talked about details, or they just want to be cruel online or they just think that they're funny and they are obviously not from here. It's sad when people care more about a piece of metal, their precious guns, than they do about human lives. Unfortunately, people that say such hurtful things at a times like these. Unfortunately, these people think that they know the facts, meanwhile, they don't even know anyone that this effected and aren't even from around here. Some people will always try to look for some sort of self acknowledgement by sitting behind a computer and typing hurtful lies about situations and people that they don't even know or just try to start trouble. Come to Newtown and just try to tell anyone that it never happened, see what happens. I honestly hope that this never happens to anyone else's friends or family, because it's just plain horrible. Unfortunately, history shows, things like this will only keep happening, there is too much mental instability in the world. I'm sad to think about people being so heartless about this. I'm getting through this by trying to convince myself that it's just so horrible of an event that those people just can't comprehend that it could have actually happened either. We're all still trying to wrap our heads around the entire situation as well, and we're living it every day. Regardless, I am asking the conspiracy theories to just stop. I'm asking people to stop saying that the other parents of my step daughter's school are paid actors working for the govenment, because obviously they're not. That's just nothing but obsurd, and again, it's hurtful! They're regular parents that have just had to bury their young children! I'm asking to have all military type weapons to not be allowed in homes. I'm asking for more background checks, not just for the person purchasing the weapons, but for their household residents as well, due to what happened to our children here. More serious consequences need to take place for people that use guns, weapons, against other people. Please be humane and let us be able to go online and not have to see hurtful things. Tears are already a daily thing for us right now and we don't need to be attacked by idiotic useless hatred. Please let the kind people of the community live without having to be harrassed for helping some of our children before we were actually able to get to our children that day. Whatever happened to humanity or even respect for those we have lost? Honor the people that have died and have been injured, not just in this horrific event, but in all of the recent gun related tragedies as well. Please just help us get through these times in peace, with peace and kindness, not more guns, not more violence.

As a father of 2 small boys, I sincerely mourn for your loss and cannot imagine the pain you have been through. I for one am a gun owner but genuinely feel we need to be doing so much more than we have. The challenge is each "side" wants to bully the other, which creates a gridlock.

As a RESPONSIBLE gun owner, I should have to pass a background check. Just like if I speed or drink and drive and can lose my privilege to drive, my ability to own a deadly weapon should be compromised if I let someone else use my guns and they do something with them. If I commit a felony or am declared a mental danger to society, I should lose this right. These rights are then lost by conscious choices, not just because someone deems the right to be extreme. We don't outlaw large SUVs over smaller cars because they are responsible for more deaths, we govern to the violaters. When we regulate the weapons rather than the people, the 2nd Amendment will win out every time. Just as it disgusts me when someone in America burns a flag, it is their inalienable right to do so.

We need to protect our children as our most precious duty. You know this all too well. This solution is not one or two things but a collaboration of efforts needed to protect them, not win political points. We owe it to them as adults to come together as a nation and fight this evil together.

I do keep you and others in our daily prayers and hope for some healing for you as you work through this tragedy.

Thank you Rick. Your kind words mean a lot.
I agree with you with what you said, especially when you said that it's not going to take just one or two things to make a difference. Together everyone can make a positive difference.
There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, in all various areas, not just with gun regulations itself. Not a lot makes sense with a lot of the existing laws that are out there, not just in one particular subject either. I really think that every area has to be looked at, and that laws need to evolve like technology does to keep up with our current times.
One silly little example of things that could be looked, which is a little outside of the box, is that in Connecticut, to get Homeowner's Insurance, you're asked if you have a pool, or if you have any animals (in case you have a dog on the "bad doggie" list, if there are fire hydrants nearby, if you have smoke detectors, exc, -all for risk and liability purposes. One thing that is not asked is if there are guns or weapons in the house, as many people do have.
People that kill other people seem to spend less time in jail than someone that commits less drastic of a crime does.
Unfortunately, there are too many people thinking "left" or "right" and not coming to agreements in the middle. I've been paying a lot of attention to the news and reading what people say to this tragedy, since it effected our family directly. It's very hard to get away from it all, even if we try not to pay attention to the news.
It makes me so sick to see some people being so heartless with decisions based on "conspiracy theories" caused from people not liking some media reports about that day. People should know that the media usually tries to get a story out quickly, that their facts aren't always perfectly clear at certain times. It shouldn't make people just down-talk the entire event and make up such idiotic "theories" about it, and make more pain for those involved in this situation.
It's all just got to stop.
We all have to come to peaceful agreements and not be so quick to hurt or judge eachother. We just need to all support eachother in humane respectful ways like as civilized people that we are.

Why does everyone focus on the 2nd part of the Second Amendment "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms", not the 1st part "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State"? Why not require from anyone owning a gun in America to join a "well regulated Militia" where they have to go through regular training sessions and be part of a well-controlled group organized by each State???

I1.) Maybe we should add death by firearms in Mexico to the US total since most of those weapons come from the United States.
(2.) The major argument for home owning of a weapon is home protection. It would be interesting to see the statistics of how many home owners can state that they were saved by using a weapon against an armed intruder and then compare those numbers with the number of friends & family members who have died through accident, suicide and even purposeful homicide in a household or associated setting.
(3.) I grew up on a Montana ranch where a rifle was used, but only rarely and avoided if possible, against coyotes & mountain lions killing farm animals. When I see people play "cowboys" with overkill firearms I wonder if they have some hidden self-esteem issues that might be better addressed with counseling.

U.S. has 5 times the population og all of great britain.I uphold your right to speak your postion.Your murder statistics for each country should be "per capita".The shear volume of new gun buys speaks volumes for voters in this country.
the U.S. is what it is and most of us feel happy and safe with it.I voted for Pres, Obama.Thnx,Have agood day

Go Piers!! Where should the majority of Americans who want gun control on assault weapons send our money and get the membership card for "common sense?"" 250,000 new members in the NRA is a drop in the bucket. Why is less than 2% of the population (NRA members) driving policy in this country?

I am fine with anyone buying/owning a tank if they are part of well regulated militia well-controlled by each State!

Why does everyone focus on the 2nd part of the Second Amendment "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms", not the 1st part "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State"? Why not require from anyone owning a gun in America to join a "well regulated Militia" where they have to go through regular training sessions and be part of a well-controlled group organized by each State???

Because not everyone is able bodied. Or maybe ever since the federal goverment starting calling upon state militia for national army that would be contradictory of the point of the second amendment. 1st amendment "to protect a state from a federal invasion if it so pleases" 2 nd amendment "to protect ones self from the government." Its all about checks and balances.

Just a thought,,,is the answer to put guards with guns in the schools?
What is going to stop a sick person from setting up outside the school with an AR15 and waiting for students/people to leave the school during recess or lunch hour, and open fire. Armed guards in the schools is not the answer and a waist of money.
Let collectors keep their guns, bann the CLIPS!

To Piers Morgan – I agree with all of your recommendations but I would like to add 3 more. (1) What about if the gun manufacturers were required to register all the guns shipped from their factory. Then – for instance – when they ship to Walmart – registration is transferred to Walmart. Guns are then able to be traced. (2) All guns shipped from the manufacturer must have a trigger lock in place. (3) Further, to buy ammunition the purchaser must show registration for the gun they are buying ammo for.
I don't believe that anyone needs automatic weapons anywhere except in the military and some of the gun advocates you have had on your show display extreme paranoia and a hysteria that is truly frightening!!
Guns don't kill people – people with guns kill people!

I agree with you Wendy and I hope that your comments make it to the ears of President Obama and Vice President Biden. That's one of the best solutions presented..also no one can really determine who is insane because people go thru things that can make them change and do crazy things, so background checks will not help that much.

And still no gun supporter can explain why an Ar-15 is needed – it boggles my mind they these gun supporters want to defend the second amendment but in the same breath want to protect themselves from the same government that enforces this amendment- yes Scottie wake the hell up

I am fine with anyone buying/owning an AR-15 if they are part of well regulated militia well-controlled by each State!

Why does everyone focus on the 2nd part of the Second Amendment "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms", not the 1st part "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State"? Why not require from anyone owning a gun in America to join a "well regulated Militia" where they have to go through regular training sessions and be part of a well-controlled group organized by each State???

Because not everyone is able bodied. Or maybe ever since the federal goverment starting calling upon state militia for national army that would be contradictory of the point of the second amendment. 1st amendment “to protect a state from a federal invasion if it so pleases” 2 nd amendment “to protect ones self from the government.” Its all about checks and balances.

Do u need a excuse to smile and have fun? Cuz thats what i get when i shoot my guns. Also the government will bring charges against someone and pay to defend them at the same time. Maybe its because a government is a nation and a nation is made of people. Just because u dont understand my ppl dont hate them.

Having the right is a very simple reason, and people buy things on how they look all the time. They buy corvettes with apple red color, high octane gassed up vehicles that go speeds we don't need to go, but because of a free society and the fact corvettes are legal we can buy them, the same as an ar15. It is simply a modular rifle that fires the exact same way all legal rifles work. So you can look at a impala as the simple magazine semiautomatic rifle and the corvette as the ar15. Let's be intelligent about this and stop hating on a simple small weapon. This is your answer Piers for why I can have an ar15.

Btw I am not someone that compares car wrecks to gun deaths, I used our free society and capitalism in the US and people having a desireto have a better product. I hope the woman from Sandy Hook speaking now realize there are many Democrats including Harry Reid and Senator from WV not wanting to vote for gun control. Largest gun show in the nation this weekend in Nevada. We have police in our state at schools and they are fine, no incidents.

Focus is on the right of owning a gun for protection and not on the issue of eradicating the reasons why one needs protection in the USA. Why can't Americans thrive to be like those countries do not need guns at home?

Because we are AMERICANS!!! I grew up around guna. Own several 10-20. Never ever even close to having a close call where someone coulda got hurt. I love my guns, its my sport. I feel safe regardless what caliber i have. Bigger the gun the more fun shooting tho! :D

You mean like Israel; their violence rates and gun violence rates are lower than ours. Or, most of Africa, all of Europe, Australia and Asia. Our violence and gun-death rates compare to really poor or civil war-torn countries, or countries ruled by drug cartels.

Of course, do you know what you are saying to say, why can't we make our country more like Israel? Or, where our homes are safe? That means more control.

In Morgan's discussion on gun control during the "town hall" meeting he kept asking why does someone need a AR-15? Do you need a 9mm pistol? A 12 gauge shotgun? No you don't need one but its your right to own one as an American. Ar-15's aren't the only weapons that kill people. it doesn't matter if you use a .22 pistol or a .308 rifle. weapons will kill people and do harm no matter what. So restricting one type of weapon is ridiculous. You can use an AR-15 for hunting to. if a person has a motive to commit a crime he will use what ever means necessary to complete the crime. It doesn't matter if he wants to use an AR-15 or a sling shot. Banning weapons doesn't mean they just all of sudden disappear once the law is in effect. They will still be there and will aways be. Yes limiting the amount of ammo a magazine can hold, will help but its still the fact it is impossible for the government to take away ALL of the "high capacity" magazines.

Yes I agree all military guns should be ban from the regular public. Also you all are talking about background checks, well a person can be sane and go thru a dissapointment such as a divorce or a loss of employment and they could decide to cause destruction with a gun. Or a parent may own the guns but children have access to them so if they don't want to give up the guns, then when their child commit murders the parent should be charge for the crime too.

If everyone will take the time to really read the 2nd amendment it states THE MILITIA has the right to have guns it does not in any way say individual citizens have the right to stock pile assault rifles to massacre innocent children! These gun lunatics are pushing it way too far now. I hope the President will ultimately ban these guns and will place STRICT limitations on who can possess them. I see a return to the wild west where everyone carries a gun strapped to their side and gun fights breaking out at a moment's notice. Do we really need to go back in time and behave in this manner? I think death penalty immediately for ANY crime committed with illegal and non registered guns, No defense and no trail...you commit a crime or kill someone with a gun and YOU ARE FINISHED!!

Read the Federalist Papers, it explains the 2nd amendment. They speak of having guns in case the government goes bad! Countries, who took guns did this. Look at Germany, with Hitler.
Cars kill people everyday, are we talking about taking cars away?

Piers, allow all to speak without you stomping them like that maniac Alex Jones did to you. Be fair. Why an AR15? We are all in this country just one disaster, one prolonged blackout, one economic destabilization away from anarchy! My family deserves my protection from this fallout and possible disregard of the laws by those who would take advantage of these potential situations. AR15? Have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it. That is the reason for ownership of such a weapon by law abiding American citizens!

A debate is one thing........an idiot in a red dress is another and not an asset to a reasonable discussion. She is a radical of the worst kind. Piers does not need such on his program. She is disgusting

Gun control is about people control. Give major stiff penalties against the criminals so they may think twice about using a gun in a crime. Focusing on AR type weapons only shows the ignorance of those opposing them or trying make laws about them.

Obviously CNN is screening posts since my first wasn't even put up and was very logical. Rather than just relate to rationale, perhaps this might hit the point. Piers, just for once, try to actually ACT like a journalist. You have asked no fewer than 5 times in the shows I have watched (3 times to Shapiro and twice tonight) for a reason someone should own an AR-15. You have gotten 5 very similar answers, all of which revolve around the "Little red book" you mocked as silly.

Just because you don't LIKE the answer doesn't mean it hasn't been answered. If only you would respect others views as much as you seem to laud yours, we might actually get a meaningful debate.

If i go to a public area to kill people with a knife ....i may get 1 or 2 people before im overpowered .....with an ar-15 ...depending on the clip i may get 30 or more before/if someone can overpower me ..... thats the issue

Just a brief comment to your statement about the NRA using fear tactics to sell guns. Actually, Piers Morgan is the reason for a surge in gun sales specifically semi automatic anything and any magazine over 10 rounds. When you threaten to take something away, you only entice people to want and purchase that item. Any ban just sets the legal precedence to continue to errode the second amendment. That is what gun owners fear, it is the first step towards an all out ban. Was prohibition a great success? Drugs are limited or illegal in many states. Has that solved violence due to a drug dependency? It doesn't make sense. How many rounds did the 9/11 hijackers fire? How many bullets did Timothy McVeigh use? Would this proposed ban have stopped the Beltway sniper? I guess I would like to understand what it would accomplish.

If you are from UK don't try to change the US......if we cared about what you think we wouldn't have kicked your butt .....oh yeah your welcome for saving your butt in WW2 and will have to do it again because you don't have any guns or gonadds.

First of all, just because PM is from the UK, it does not mean the British share all the same beliefs as him. Also, you don't need to state the fact that "YOU" saved the British and "YOU" kicked their butts as I don't see your name on the world record books for being over 200 years old. Just a shame you had to embarrass yourself over a national forum. Although, don't worry you are not the only one that has this narrow vision of "YOU" did this and "YOU" did that. America has now become the policeman of the world, and look where that has got us.

Thank you for having the courage to fight for gun control. I am sorry for the blacklash against you. Too many people have turned to attacking the messager rather than listening to what you have to say. If guns weren't so readily available much of the arguement to have them for defense would disappear.

I own an AR 15 because the second amendment is not for hunting as the most recent court decision made clear. We have the second amendment to own the same gun as a normal soldier would carry. The majority decision even added the statement about full auto as part of that right . Look it up and read it I did.

I own a AR15 for target practice and three gun sporting events. Not all gun owners are bad. A person with experience can easily go through ten round magazines fast enough to do damage. A 45 cal or 9 mm can inflict damage just like any AR. its the people they should be concentrating on not a specific gun. U can also buy a shotgun that holds thirty rounds.....

These people like the woman in red appear mentally ill. Their paranoia and conspiracy theories manifest in the way they contort their jaw when they talk. How have we allowed people like this to control the dialogue. Our grandparents and great-grandparents would have called these peopl "touched".

The question that is not being asked is this: If you were convinced that handing over your personal weapons would dramatically reduce gun violence in the United States, would you?

It is simple common sense that a reduction of guns in a population will reduce the amount of gun related incidents. But there's all sorts of ways to argue against this. These silly arguments keep being used by guests of the Piers Morgan's. But these arguments are just a way of avoiding answering the question above.

Another way to ask the question is: Do you believe that reducing the guns in the United States population will reduce gun violence?

No sane person can answer this question with a "No". There are plenty of sane people suggesting that we should focus on everything other than gun control to solve the problems that exist. The irony is this: these people are weighing what they think is their American right over the benefit of the American society on a whole, which is un-American.

I hate to say this, but it's time to turn in your guns. It is unfortunate that there are many people that can not responsibly live in a world with guns, but the benefit of *YOU* having a gun does not outweigh the benefit of *EVERYONE* not having guns. You know this. Stop pretending like you don't and when you turn in your gun you will feel that greed that makes you continue these silly arguments go away.

Hope you will read this and keep anonymus. people who support automatic weapon does not understand the issues.
1. One bad moment of family dispute can kill their own people
2. you do not fire 10 rounds on burglury attempt to scare a bad guy away
3. if you can get assualt weapon a bad guy can get more
4. this can be supporting terrorism at home, terroists easily arrange it , given the intolerance of religions and growing religions fanatics population , fear islamic terrorism coming to us and getting easy access
5. 50% percent people living in china and india doesnot have access, even the richest people their goes nto carry it
6. mental helth argument is stupid. it doesnot take couple fo minutes get deep depressed or anger...

I feel for this father and he must not be familiar with firearms or he wouldn't have said he understands having a shotgun. He must not know that a shotgun would do extremely more damage to life in close quarters with less rounds. The single shell in shotguns carry more projectiles and larger protectiles than a whole clip. A shotgun carrying only 5 shells would have caused more death. That is why people need to educate before they speak. They bring this guy that is not in an emotionally stable state to give misinformed statements.

Just a thought, what's to stop vehicles from killing people??? Lets take that away too. Lets take away alcohol while we're at it. Drunk driving kills the most, right? My heart goes out to those affected by these tragedies, but the responsible owners are the ones being punished.

It's my right, protect my country, protect my family, protect you. it's my weapon of choice because it's proven to be reliable, accurate, fun to target shoot, and when heaven forbid I should ever need to use it, it will get the job done which will increase my survival.

Imagine 10 years from now. everyone will own an AR just like you. Every gang member, Every criminal. and every paranoid person who thinks they need it for "survival". Imagine how many Innocent bystanders are going to be killed daily. America will be a great place to live then. what kind of future do you want for your kids

I want to APPLAUD Piers Morgan for opening and maintaining the all-important dialog about gun violence in America. Thank you for continuing to discuss this even as time would have America ignore Sandy Hook as quickly as it has ignored all of the other mass shootings. As a U.S. citizen, mother, and teacher I feel this is a serious public issue that we cannot allow to die!!!! I am becoming active in my community to stop the violence; the parents of Sandy Hook serve as an inspiration for dialog!

THIS DEBATE IS OVER, the government needs to stop killing our children and innocent civilians to push their anti-gun agenda down the throats of millions of law abiding citizens in order to DISARM ALL CIVILIANS.

Last time I checked, IT WAS ALREADY ILLEGAL TO KILL PEOPLE, that has never stopped wackos from killing, what makes you think telling them they can't have a gun will stop them? If someone goes into a school and bashes in the heads of defenseless children with a cinder block will you then ban the sale of cinder blocks?

I can go buy a corvette and do 160MPH down a school zone, perhaps we should make those illegal too.

Why do I need an AR-15? Because of people like HITLER, Mao Tse-Tung, Pol Pot, and Joseph Stalin, LOOK IT UP. http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/fame.html
Might as well go ahead and add BARAK OBAMA and his "executive orders" to the list.

An AR-15 and every other SEMI-AUTO is NOT an ASSAULT WEAPON. I can fire just as many rounds per second with a semi-auto hunting rifle, by the way, you only need one bullet to kill someone.

I do not need a reason why I need to own one, it is my right to bear arms. The second amendment does not say that arms are for hunting or home protection, it is to protect you against governments that do whatever they please. How about you ask the millions of cigarette smokers why they need cigarettes. The only difference is that cigarettes WILL kill you, the truth is that my AR-15 that I use for sport shooting will not kill me or anyone else since it is handled properly.

Piers Morgan is an idiot, if he loves anti-gun liberals tell him to go back to the UK.

You and your kind are paranoid. You've been repeating the same conspiracy theory nonsense for decades. The only reason you need all that firepower is that you feel impotent and you are very afraid. You are to be pitted and reigned in before you really do hurt a lot of people. You and the Alex Jones of the country are nuts. All you seem to care about is your own manmade tiny little family. YOU have no empathy and that makes you a sociopath. The enemy is you sir.

Thank you, Piers, for bringing forth this conversation. It has been long coming. Thank you for bringing out the difference between gun violence in the US and other developed countries. I do not want to live in a country that the "solution" is arming everyone–ridiculous. Federal legislation has been needed for a long time to limit guns and magazines that have no business being in civilian hands. Have your rifle or hand gun that fires 10 bullets or less–this is your second amendment right–not assault weapons, not 100 bullet magazines. I appreciate the position you have taken and the courage to carry on.

Piers, please stop demonizing people who lawfully abide by the firearm laws of this land. Your anti-gun agenda is obvious and pathetic. If there are too many firearms here for you, I'm sure lil ol England would love to have you back.

SInce when does the 2nd amendment state that we have the right to bear "firearms"? You can't bear a nuclear warhead can you? Or a dirty bomb? You can bear a knife or a baseball bat, neither of which is going to kill 20 children in a matter of minutes. So sick of people citing a right that is clearly not applicable in the current century(the British are not coming), Just admit you like guns, they are fun or whatever, you do not need an assult rifle to protect your family unless you live in Afghanistan.

Um Nuclear weapons are not firearms, neither are dirty bombs. I know you can use facts that there are mini explosions when firing pin hits primer and sending a projectile into air, but it has to do with the firearm itself. Nuclear of course as we know is a radioactive material mounted on top of a rocket and you yourself asnwered the difference between firearm and bomb, one is a firearm and one is a bomb.

You let the blonde chick blab on about nothing and then at the end of your show when someone had something to say you cut him off because you were out of time. Bad use of time. She has to go. All air no snese

Piers has constantly interrupted the guests making a point for the right to have their choice of guns. Is this really what you would call "open dialog"? Piers says no one yet has answered his questions as to why anyone needs an AR 15. Why did the police in most large cities start carrying AR 15's? The primary reason was that they were going up against "criminals" who were equipped far better than they were. The typical police unit up until a few years ago would only have a pistol and shotgun available to them. The police forces realized that they needed weapons that leveled the playing field. So why shouldn't this same logic apply to normal citizens? If an intruder or group of intruders invades our homes or communities we need to be able to counter them with at least equal force. This could easily occur in any disaster either natural or civil. We have seen this far too many times. After many disasters people can become desperate for basic needs or simple find looting or general caos exceptable. Why shouldn't a law abiding citizen be able to protect themselves with the best possible means available. Since it is reasonable to except that we have some people in our country and any for that matter, that will do harm to others without thought or remorse. The police may very well try to keep peace but just look at the situation after Hurricane Katrina, people were forming into gangs and taking whatever they chose from others. The police were no where to be found in most cases. I want to be able to proctect me and my family without having to depend on someone else. If a superior weapon increases my chance of fending off those who mean to do harm then I have succeeded in protecting me and my family.

I always hear from pro high power gun people that it’s a right given by second amendment to stand up against tyrannical government, if situation arises. Now when this amendment was written it was possibly enough to stand up against the military with high powered gun. But, does anyone today seriously believe that these guns will be adequate to stand up against US military. To stand up against the military the regular citizens will need to arm them like the Taliban. To keep the intents of second amendment alive today people should allowed having any and every military grade weapons. May be these pro high power gun people should start lobbying for that.

These discussions are not going go anywhere because these issues are supported and opposed by almost equal number of people. The discussions should focus on how to hold people (who want to own any disruptive/dangerous devices/means) responsible for misuse or accidental use of these devices and consequential damages/injuries/deaths.
Any regulations should make sure that these people have the adequate coverage. Also there should be severe penalties for violation of their responsibilities. The regulations should not be just about guns but about any dangerous devices that have dangerous misuse capabilities.

Obama should tax guns & all assault weapons including semi-automatics, to as much as 5 times what they sell for in the shops...that would soon lower the number of weapons sold...then some of that money should be used to educate people & especially schoolchildren that "Guns Kill" that's all they do & then the rest should be put into a compensation fund for the relatives of victims of massacres, etc.

So if an AR 15 cost say $2000....put a tax of $10,000 on them...make them pay for their deadly "Hobby"!

What I think you miss piers is we don't care what u think. You are using these families for ratings. I lost my father to a murder, he wasn't shot with an assault weapon but a 22 rifle. Three shots to the head, he is just as dead. So to ban assault weapons is no help at all. Also assault weapons used for murder is a very low percent of all murders. Taking away guns or ammunition from law abiding citizens will only leave them defenseless. People really intent on murder, or other crimes do NOT get weapons in the same way normal Americans do. For goodness sake our government just had a border patrol agent killed with a weapon our govmnt sold to drug cartels... Boy aren't we the pot calling the kettle black. Since my fathers murder I carry a gun for protection, I will never be a victim again. And these families have such a road left to travel, and the way they feel today will not be how they feel in the weeks and months to come, and I know because I have been there. My heart goes out to them but stop the insane mess, and controversy. This country can not enforce the laws we already have, and the areas with toughest gun laws available have the highest rate of homicide.. Be smart, conceal to carry and protect yourself, if your waiting on our government are a phone to do it , your in trouble.

Typical disgusting programming I've come to expect of Piers. Allowing those that agree with him to get their words out and fully make their point, while interrupting, cutting off, and talking over those that would offer a different opinion. A complete joke of a program and a shoddy excuse for jounalism.

Isn't one of the benefits of a "ban" that makes these illegal ... that police officers can stop someone and confiscate them BEFORE they shoot someone with them? Otherwise, they have no power to detain someone even if they are acting erratic with a mass of weapons. This seems pretty important in giving law enforcement the ability to prevent crime rather than react to it.

I am both appalled and ashamed that we will air such closed minded people as piers on a news channel. I used to think that cnn was a middle of the road show with ideas from many. How many nights must cnn run the same one sided story. The show tonight was very piers one sided, such a rude ignorant man and a poor host. I will no longer be a cnn viewer. I can not stomach any more propaganda from you.

Why does Morgan keep on talking over the people he doesn't agree with so his audience can't hear what they are saying? If this is going to be a debate Mr. Morgan please don't talk over the top of these people and let them finish making their point.

The solution to this is so simple. Make gun ownership rules the same as owning a car. Cars must be registered, insured and the owner has to be licensed (which required testing). Insurance should be required on any weapon purchased. Gun owners can keep their weapons, but like more expensive cars and speciality vehicles, must pay rates based on the weapon being registered. Registration paper work requires gun owners to be the person responsible (no matter what) if their weapon was used in a crime, (unless the weapon had been reported lost or stolen), otherwise, the gun owner is responsible because they did not adequately safeguard their weapon. You better believe people selling weapons will make sure to comply with all the rules, or be responsible.

I don't hear any justifiable reason for allowing the general public to own assault weapons other than it's "their right" under the 2nd Amendment. What is the benefit of owning these weapons that you don't get from a hand gun? Hunters don't need assault rifles to meet their needs. These "militia maniacs" don't get that when "their" war begins, they will be going against the U.S. military, not their next door neighbor.

I am a gun owner, by inheritance, a Repblican..most of the time, and a conservative on fiscal issues. Over the years I have come to believe that background checks at all venues of sale are necessary and that assault weapons be banned. The woman on the panel tonight, red dress, is beyond logic and hope for a reasonable discussion. The rest of the panel took part in a reasonable discussion regardless of their incoming opinion. If the Republicans and conservatives do not move a little toward backgroud check, ban on assault weapon I may have to vote Democratic...good grief what a choice but maybe it must be done!

If you want to know why people need an assault weapons its because they protect better than pistols. Assault weapons account for less than 3% of gun crime. WAKE UP LIBERALS. There is a reason that the word musket is no where in the second amendment.

I have been watching some of the Piers Morgan programs on the gun problem in the US right now and one thing that I have not heard is to me most important, in my view guns are a very "impersonal" weapon, and as such they become the weapon of choice for those bent on harming others or in the execution of a crime.
I live in British Columbia In Canada and my son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren aged 13, 9 and 7 live in the US. Imagine my horror on visiting them this Christmas to be shown by my son a loaded, double barrelled 12 gauge shotgun next to he and his wifes bed for protection when he has a gun safe in the garage, this is in my view madness and most definately an accident waiting to happen.
He has, in my view, bought into the "gun culture" in the US in a big way and because of this one cannot even have a sensible discussion with him about it...great shame.
Because of this right now my son and I are a bit at odds over this,and this a great, great shame indeed.

Gun owner, non-gun owner.....whatever. The reason this issue is being debated now is horrific. Being the father of two young girls and seeing something like this happen makes my heart break. I'd be the first one to offer a helping hand, a hug, or a shoulder to cry on if given the opportunity. The facts of the situation can't be ignored and have been up to this point. The weapons used in this instance were already illegal in that jurisdiction. CT has a 10 round magazine limit and persons under 21 are not able to possess handguns. Why are the weapons being attacked? They're an easy target. There's always someone behind that weapon. An AR15 doesn't jump up and start killing on it's own. I yelled at mine to shoot me and it just layed there. People are the real problem and should be the target of this debate. Why aren't they? It's not an easy fix and Americans are L-A-Z-Y. The quick fix is what's being proposed and will prevent nothing.

Take an interest in your children and get involved in what they're doing. Make them understand that failure is ok and a lesson to learn from. Do better the next time. Not everyone wins and life is full of dissapointment and mean people.

The fix is in each one of us who raises a child to go out into the world. If they have emotional issues, it's on us to get them the help they need. The easy target/fix usually will not lead to meeting long term goals. Raising kids is hard so stop being so L-A-Z-Y America!

I just have one question that never seems to be addressed on Piers Morgan's show about guns and their use in America. How many people who legally own guns actually used their gun for protection today?? Is it possible to get this information from any reliable source (FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, etc.)???? Is this claiming to have a gun for personal "protection" reality, or sheer NRA driven nonsense??? Is this "American way of life" necessary–or can we change for the better???

Hello CNN why is it that when piers morgan asks a question he always seems to cut off the answer if it bothers him have some respect and hear people out i thought we lived in a civilized society where you can hear others full opinions and then give your own how can you discuss something like gun control if you aren't going to hear them out completely and come to an understanding, sorry i must be crazy to think america is still civil, and on the reason why we have AR-15 is because we want to protect our homes and our families and why should i have to reload to keep shooting if you only had 10 rounds in your mag and had 30 people shooting at you would you want to reload no you want to keep shooting so that's why we have 30 round and 60 round and 100 round mags but have some respect for yourself and others let people speak and stop cutting them off just because you don't agree on there views, i spent 2 years in the army but i was injured but i saw what a 5.56 round can do to a person and yes there is a big difference between semi auto and automatic its called accuracy its simple to keep on target with a semi and with a auto good luck keeping on target. i don't support the NRA or people who have guns i support the people who are responsible with there weapons. people have guns who some don't even know how to shoot them those are the dangerous people the ones who lack common sense so i don't think everyone should have a fire arm but there should be a system in place that stops people from getting firearms of any kind if they are not found fit to own them. 2nd amendment yes has flaws but so does every other one, and just so you know i can shoot 274 rounds out of 3 guns in less than 3 Minuets with about 8 times to stop and reload so just because you think the ban should get rid of AR-15s and high capacity mags think again because it only takes a trained person to reload twice which is 1.2 seconds added to the 8 seconds it takes me to fire 30 rounds out of a semi auto so you do the math it wont stop the inevitable only common scene will make change. its about time Americans take there heads out of dirt and face the harsh reality and claim responsibility for the actions they aloud to happen over the years of doing nothing. thank you and i hope you have a wonderful and safe 2013 :)

I have been consistently watching the Gun Control debates and I am blown away by the passion that such a mass of people in the US are so adamant about their guns. It,s almost like a religion to them. This reflects serious paranoia and doesn,t make the US the country that at one time was the model country. What a shame! The president is damned if he does and damned if he doesn,t!

Ben Shapiro was right. You are standing on the graves of the Sandy Hook children. How can someone have an objective debate when you bring the victims families on your show during the debate. You are ridiculous and and should be ashamed.

Posse Comitatus Act is a law that prevents the government from using the military agianst the citizens of the U.S. I am a veteran of the U.S. Army, and I knew no one in the army who was willing to fire on U.S. citizens, (much like Poland in the 80's) As for the need for high capacity magazines, I accept my training of one shot, one kill, so I do not neeed a weapon that will fire 60 rounds in a mater of seconds. A hand gun with six to nine rounds is enough to protect me. If I cannot protect myself with that I am in trouble, and had better sharpen my marksmenship. I am capble of reloading my weapon if needed for more tagerts. Weapons in the hands of people like Alex Jones and the lady in the red dress scares the hell out of me. To keep doing what we have been doing (nothing) and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity, and sadly there are people out there that think that is the better option. Our second amendment is not absolute, like any of our rights.

I was young but I remember during the Vietnam War there was a school shooting where a number of protesting students were gunned down with real military assault rifles. It was at Kent State University. The gunmen were U. S. soldiers.

When Piers Morgan comes on, I grab the remote.
He is a waste of my time and has a clear interest in pontificating from his pulpit- which has no relationship with my American experience.
A complete English pompous waste of time with little recognizable skill.

No...let's just keep discussing guns till they all disappear onto obscurity & at the same time stop blaming it all on the mentally disabled/ or on those with mental health issues. They are a very easy target to blame...when it's the guns that do the killing!

Interesting to note that as the officials from Philadelphia are sitting in Mush Mouth Morgan's patch telling the rest of the country how to do it, there is a little 5 y/o girl recovering from having been left out doors in the cold at night in a public park after a stranger abduction of her from one of their public schools.

As far as Obama/Biden dictatorship approach to gun control-Laughable. When are those two going to get some street smarts? No wonder all of the illegals cast their votes for that duo. The drug-lord/gun runners must be laughing so hard that they probably are having trouble settling down enough to get the north-bound shipments loaded.

To the lady in red and others like her, you seem to be satisfied that more than 10.000 people die from guns every year so that you can have your right........you were proud not to give up your right to have a gun to honor your ancestors! but you do not care that how many of your neighbors has to die for your right to protect your family against the governmen with a semi automatic. Your guns will not protect you for long in this imaginary worst case scenario. Your argument dont hold, you just want your right per se.

Guns should be for the military and police only and for hunting. If so they could protect you and others right to live without fear. Only Americans need guns to be free....ups I forgot ...vyou need guns because you have the right. It is so sad.

To everyone else who believe in guns for the people. If we all wear guns, how will you know who is the bad guy with a gun and who us the good guy with a gun in a shooting? Will you all just kill and hurt eachother in so called friendly fire trying to find out, or will the good guy have a white gun?. How many so called gun loving heroes and even more bystanders will die or be hurt in this case........how will the police know who is the bad guy shooter and who is the good guy shooter? I think the person with a gun, even an armed guard can do very little to protect anyone if the bad guy has 100 clips and a semiautomatic gun.

To Piers Morgan, please continue the debate until our children are safe in a gun free America

I AGREE THAT IT IS MORE RELEVANT TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS,THAN GUN CONTROL, THE ONLY GUN CONTROL WE NEED , IS TO MAKE THE PROPER ADJUSTMENT ON YOUR RETICLE ,TO STILL BE ABLE TO HIT THE TARGET WHEN SHOOTING INTO A CROSS WIND . AND TO FURTHER ANSWER ABOUT OUR GUNS BEING LIKE A RELIGION, THAT IS NOT TRUE , ITS OUR RIGHTS THAT ARE LIKE A RELIGION ,AND WE DONT LIKE GIVING THEM UP, THAT IS WHAT MAKES US AMERICA, IT IS WHY WE TOLD KING GEORGE TO POUND IT WHERE THE SUN DONT SHINE , AS A PEOPLE WE DONT LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO , BY ANYONE OR BY ANY GOVERNMENT , PERIOD.

To Robert Etchell,
I agreee with your post. It is an argument driven by fear and ignorance and highly unlikely that the government of the US will turn into the enemy, meanwhile over 10.000 people de from guns every year to protect some peoplefom this highly unlikely event. Isnt 20 childrens lives too high a price to pay to uphold this right ?

I would simply like to remind Piers that to offer a true "response" necessitates allowing ones counterpart to finish their statement before cutting them short with "let me interrupt". It seems the claim that he has not heard a reason one may need to own a "military style assault weapon" (for which a definition has not been offered and direct comparison to civilian accessible firearms is inaccurate) is precluded by the same impatience and closed-mindedness of which he accuses his opposition of demonstrating. For my next trick, may I define hypocrisy....

HEY ANDERSON, I DONT EVEN HAVE A SO CALLED ASSAULT WEAPON, I AM A GUN OWNER THAT GOES TO THE RANGE AND TARGET SHOOTS , AND BANNING CERTAIN MAGAZINES AND WEAPONS , AND NOT ALLOWING ME TO PURCHASE THEM , DOES NOT MAKE SCHOOL KIDS SAFE , IT JUST MAKES IT EASIER TO TAKE THE NEXT RIGHT AWAY, MAYBE ONE THAT YOU ASPIRE TO. PART OF BEING AMERICAN IS NOT GIVING UP TO GOVERNMENT CONTROL, BUT IT IS BEING FREE AND COMING TO A GROUP DECISION, BUT IN THIS CASE WE NEED DECISIONS THAT HELP, NOT JUST GRABBING AT A QUCK STRAW AND SAY THERE WE FIXED IT. I SUGGEST YOU GO TO YOUR LOCAL RANGE AND BE INFORMED AND SEE SOME GUN OWNERS USING THEIR GUNS, YOU WILL FIND ITS NOT THAT SCARY OF A THING, THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK. I CAN TELL YOU ALL THE COMMENTS PIERS MAKES ARE ALL WRONG AND ARE ALL LIES , EITHER ON PURPOSE OR OUT OF IGNORANCE , DONT JOIN HIS TEAM UNTIL YOU HAVE VISITED THE OTHER SIDE THEN DECIDE.

I find it amusing that Piers keeps referencing the Fort Hood shooting as an example of why MORE weapons would not be an effective solution to this issue, when in actuality it is better used as an example of why LAYERS of security (i.e., more than just ONE solution) would SUPPORT an argument for stricter firearms control. Educate yourself; what you don't know can hurt you, what you IGNORE WILL DEFEAT YOU.

No it's not for me. I've tried sending my post a couple of more times in between my comments above. When I send one liners like this my post appears. Bet this one will appear. I'll try sending my post again after this, but I'm guessing it won't show again. I'll give it a go!

A question: Can there be compromise? I mean, it seems that there are two ends of this spectrum–the ones who want these particular types of guns banned and the other side who's worried that someone wants to take all their guns–there's a HUGE amount of room in between those two ends of the spectrum. Before I pose my question though, I will tell you that I am not a gun owner personally, but my long-time boyfriend is, they are in our home, we both like to hunt, but both of us realize that in light of what has been happening for way too long in our country with the violence and the easy access to guns, something must change. There is no one easy answer for any of this, most of us realize that. So, here's my question to you: What if, instead of banning these types of weapons entirely, that if you wished to own one, that you would have to follow certain criteria? Say, if you wish to own an AR-15, you have to go through the usual background check, registering the gun, etc., but instead of being allowed to keep it in your home, you must keep it at a sportsmen's club or gun range? You're allowed to use it to target shoot at your gun club, enjoy it when you like, you just can't take it home. Would that satisfy you if you wished to own or keep this type of weapon? And, if not, why not? I'm just curious.

There is an easy answer! We are making this far more difficult than it needs to be, because somehow some people have been lead to believe that it must be one way,b ecause there are 'rights'! No way! No civilzed society has this issue, only we do. It is like saying, we have junk food, but we will only serve it sometimes. It is, though, JUNK FOOD

People want guns, they are hunters, I don't know? Let them have their candy–AT A HIGH and regulated price! All this second amendmant baloney is a twisted non accurate and unrealistic version of history that has no real value behind it other than propaganda by right wing groups full of fear and monied entrepreneurs who want to capitalize on fear. And that is no good combination....Wake up America and join the real world....! We are supposedly a first world country, yet we have ideas like the third world!!

Note that the non-gun homicide rate in the US and UK are about the same at 1.1 per 100,000 population. The gun homicide rates are about 0.07 for the UK and 3.0 for the US. You can find these numbers in 5 minutes with a Google search. Mental illness may be a problem, but is not the root issue since the occurrence is similar in both countries. Violent video games may also be a problem, but again have similar consumption in both countries. PLEASE THINK!

While that is true, you can't look at the UK and the US figures in isolation. If you do a further check you'll see that many of Britain's Western European neighbors are some the largest gun owning nations on the planet. The Swiss privately own on a pet capita basis nearly 8 times as many guns as the British, and the Germans and French own nearly 5 times as many, but yet these countries have per capita homicide rates that are 40% lower than Britain's, that has a virtual gun ban.

KELLY I think what worries most gun owners , is that it never stops, once it gets started, and why have we decided the witch hunt is on for the AR-15 , Yes it has been used in the last shootings , but I tend to think it has a lot to do with the fact that they are popular and there is a lot of them out there. if your boyfriend knows a lot about guns, he can tell you there are plenty of others that can be used as well, with more devastating results. and to let congress people decide, what can be used and what is considered a banned weapon, well google the list of previously banned weapons in 94 and you will have the answer why gun owners are like they are, There is guns on there, that should not even get close to that list , look at new york state, just passed laws today, making anything over 7 rounds illegal ,if i was in new york my pistols would now be illegal and they are target pistols. you see its just a stupid witch hunt, just like when they had to get rid of all the muscle cars because they were killing to many teenagers hot rodding , how many car deaths last year , maybe we could bring them back and what just rent them at the dragstrip , dont mean to be rude but you see my point. I hope

Dana, I asked a question–and you didn't answer it. I know all the other stuff about how there are plenty of other weapons that could be used, etc. There are plenty of people arguing the point of "if they take one, they're gonna take them all"... I'm saying–can there be a compromise in the sense that certain guns, if you wished to own them, for target shooting, for fun, would you be willing to follow a slightly different criteria to own it? You're still allowed to own it, still allowed to enjoy it, but it would be kept at a secure facility outside of your home?

My understanding is that if you own a gun, it is supposed to be stored unloaded in a locked box, with ammunition separate. If so, this is no protection anyway, so why have it? If attacked, are you supposed to tell the attacker to wait while you get your gun and load it?

KELLY I would be willing to go thru extended background check to get one , I get your point and I would first off say no, if I buy it ,I want it at home, but if I could get that gun at a severley reduced price, govt subsidy and still be able to check it out and go shoot out in the country , kinda like a library book, and or maybe take it home for 36 hrs to say install scope or something , i could probably bend to that , basically you are telling someone when it will be back, and maybe at the range only have available 100 rnd clips to shoot , yeah i could see that , but with limited ownership, for me I want really cheap price on purchase. B ut then again i dont have much use for ar -15 , but like to keep open the possibility for someday

I see both sides of this issue. And I understand the extreme reaction from individuals when powers to be start to threaten to take away property that they legally bought ie. AR-15, AK47, etc.. Why not have specific requirments to own these type of guns....must be secured, cannot be loaned out without the owner being present, etc...from what I have read they are really a small part of the crime problem. And I am sure a pistol would have been just as deadly to small children who had no where to run. With so many guns out there I just see no way you could round them all up...and in some cases making responsible gun owners felons for not giving up their guns.

We basically don't want another Newtown from happening again. The first step is to do more strict background checks on the buyer and also the family members. Also, ban all assault weapons. Start there and we will have 1 less Newtown incident. I think everyone will agree that 1 less mass murder is better then allowing it to happen.

School safety- Safe Rooms able to stop the bullets... Sandy Hook teachers tried, but the rooms found were not enough. Teachers response to hide and protect was right, but the safe zones found failed to protect. What is needed is to delay the hazardous gunman until authorities can take him/her out. Safe Rooms are your answer gun control is not. With or without gun control these nuts will find a way to kill it is up to us to figure out how to contain the hazardous situation so they can be neutralized by the appropriate individuals with training.

Hi Dave,
I completely agree with you about the classroom setup here in Sandy Hook. How my step-daughter's elementary school "was" set up.... you would drive down the long driveway to get to the school. It was set back from the road and was fairly hiden by trees and was behind a house, the firehouse was on the other side of the driveway at the entrance. You wouldn't necessarily notice that there was a school there if you weren't from this area and were just driving through. The quaint little white Sandy Hook Elementary School sign was at the end of the driveway. Once you came down the driveway to the school, the first thing right in front of you was the classroom that was effected and to the right of that room was the main entrance....that's pretty much what the front of the building was. If "he" (I refuse to say his name) wanted to, instead of going through the main entrance area, he could have easily just shot through the classroom windows and step in to that classroom directly. The setup wasn't the greatest security-wise for this particular type of situation, we can always say that the school "should have" been setup differently depending on whatever the situation. Hind sight. Then again, nothing ever really happened here like this. Nobody would have ever imagined anything like this here. Newtown is full of beautiful buildings and beautiful homes. "He" lived in a nice neighborhood and those homes in that particular neighborhood definitely aren't cheap. Nobody would have ever thought of this happening, ever. I believe that newer schools should be built having the classrooms in maybe different areas of the school where it's not so easy to get into them. Of course, other safety issues come up too where you want to make sure kids can get out of a school quickly too in case of fires exc. None of this is going to be one easy answer. As I said in my previous comment, I wish this on nobody.

The only thing that is giong to stop school shootings is arming out teachers or putting armed security in our class rooms. I didn't çommit any crimes so don't take my rights away from me, a resposable gun owner.And yes I do have a CCW permit, I carry my gun where ever I go and I will use it to defend me, my family and my loved ones from any crazy S.O.B.out there.

I am british and living in Norway.My iidea is this,I f the money which has been used in buying these guns had been used to the homeless foe example maybe there would be know one on the streets.Also maybe thay could have used the money to get more police.What they need in usa are those types of wepons which will only work with a finger print.Then only the people who have been checked could use them.Both most of all the normal person does not need assult rifles.

No kidding....The question from Piers was "WHY DO YOU NEED that type of weapon?" My response is WHY does America need a car that goes too fast? How many deaths are caused by speeding and vehicle accidents. This is just an example to make a point. This is America...Land of the FREE...and while I am all for limiting WHO can buy guns, limiting magazine capacity and living in NY now having background checks for Ammo I do have issue with being told what type of gun I can buy.

i am curious if Americans like democracy or would they prefer anarchy (only the strong survive)
Scottie Hughes talks about having the ability to protect herself from a tyranical government even though this was democratically elected.

why have elections if half your populous is now armed to take them down should decisions be made they dont like. this really defeats the purpous of elections.

I agree, I wonder. I have been in the USA for almost two years and struggle to see how some very loud Americans (minority) lack common sense, sense of community, dont love their neighbor and are totally ignorant. They live in a different century and have failed to develop in the first world order. Their arguments have no sofistication whatsoever. They believe to be superiour, when in fact they are behind. That is why they need their guns and have a paranoid relationsship with their rights and their property. They have no intellect nor emphaty.

Freedom is not about having guns, it is about having knowledge. Like I said, it is so sad. BUT THEY ARE STILL A MINORITY.

U know this is a very politicized topic but lets pull the conversation back a little. I have heard all the rhetoric from the NRA and saw the ridiculous ad from them about Obama's children. I guess they can't tell the difference between security of the POTUS's family and reality. I was born in a gun controlled country Canada and the firearm related deaths in 2011 was 161. The population is close to the a good part of the east coast of the US. Total homicides was 598. Almost all countries that have bans and high regulations enjoy that security where you can walk the streets without the fear of firearms. There is violence and murder like all countries but it is not the norm. When you here the vulgarity of the assertions of the NRA it is unfathomable that they don't put any ideas forwad except to point the finger someon else. Guns don't kill poeple..... that is true a gun on a table will not kill anyone but the availability of that gun to people's hands can. That is the point. I think that everyone that own's a hand weapon should have to pay insurance for all guns purchased. Past and present. Just like a vehicle. Let the insurance companies determmine what guns are acceptable and which are high risk and then let the free market determine it. It will also give families of victims of these mass shootings some small source of justice to punish those who do not secure their guns properly. Also close the loop hole in gun shows. Even Car shows you either have to insure the vehicle or tow it and the registration must be transferred. The idea of a state to state gun law is ridiculous. One standard for all people. When you have shows that show people how to convert their guns from semi auto to fully auto and the maufacturers make them easy to convert so they can sell more and high magazines cartridges it is a recipe for disaster. Every person in the world deserves to feel safe and protect themselves but laws are made to ensure that the best way to achieve that.

We are almost a month into this debate, and I haven't seen yet the face of a single Ceo of a gun manufacturing company. Why is it that we viewers, and you media, allow the Nra to be the only face of this business, and let them act like a pillow between us and the weapons? If the man and women who are in charge of making guns and ammo are not willing to appear in public, why is it that I don't see their names published, their role into manipulating the debate made clear?
I can't think of any other business which, when in serious trouble, speaks only with the voice of their p.r. office. After all, we wanted to ear from the automotive leaders directly when their business was in trouble, not from the AAM.

...most of the self defense reasons of gun ownership can be fulfilled with the use of high powered pepper spray. Has anyone checked out what you can buy these days? It is pwerful - completely different than what was available 30 years ago. You can defend yourself on the street or in your home with no chance of tragedy. If gun owners want guns for hunting, I get it. If they want a gun for defense? Well ok, but so many tragedies occur because a gun is in the house. A man comes home to discover his wife in bed with his best friend? Anyone could lose it. Not having a gun would prevent a killing.

2 things I've learned about Gun Enthusiasts over these last few weeks. First, they talk a lot about "what if" scenarios. What if the Government tries to turn into a Dictatorship. What if 5 men break into my house. Instead of being in fear of things that are happening now and could happen to them or their loved ones (someone coming into a movie theatre or school and killng them with arms that only a soldier should be allowed to carry), they live in fear of the imaginery.

Second, it seems these are the kind of people who don't take responsibility. If they were given an assignment and didn't follow through, they'd most likely blame other people or factors rather than saying 'yes, I dropped the ball. This is my fault the project was not finished'. These people are wanting to move the conversation over to car accidents, video games, and all other kinds of things that have nothing to do with Newtown, Aurora, etc.

Lastly, I am a gun owner. Do I feel I need my gun? No. If my city started a gun buyback program, I'd be one of the first people in line to sell it back. I don't fear Government tranny, I don't live in fear of someone breaking into my home, I don't fall for the NRAs doctrine of – You need a gun because there are all kinds of things that could harm you. I grew up with the believe that this is the home of the Free and the Brave. Moreover, what use is a gun anyway? I need my car to drive to work. I need my hammer because occasionally I do projects around the house. For those who feel they need to owne one to protect themselves, Fear is a sickness. It's an infection that can crawl into your soul and taint your peace. I wasn't raised to live in fear. Were you?

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